Background

The success of the Albanian Revolt of 1912 sent a strong signal to the neighboring countries that the Ottoman Empire was weak.[6] The Kingdom of Serbia opposed the plan for an Albanian Vilayet, preferring a partition of the European territory of the Ottoman Empire among the four Balkan allies.[7] Balkan allies planned the partition of the European territory of the Ottoman Empire among them and in the meantime the conquered territory was agreed to have status of the Condominium.[8]

The combined armies of the Balkan allies overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies, and achieved rapid success. As a result of their success, almost all remaining European territories of the Ottoman Empire were captured by Balkan allies, which destroyed the plans for Albanian autonomy and independence.[9] About two weeks before the congress was held, Albanian leaders appealed to Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary, explaining the difficult situation in their country divided into four vilayets occupied by Balkan allies.[10] Austria-Hungary and Italy strongly opposed the arrival of Serbian army on the Adriatic Sea because they perceived it as treat to their domination of the Adriatic and feared that Serbian Adriatic port could become a Russian base.[11]

Sitting Congress

Ismail Qemali

After the documents were checked, Ismail Qemali again took the floor and gave a speech stating that he believed that the only way to prevent division of the territory of the Albanian vilayet between the Balkan allies was to separate it from the Ottoman Empire.[7]Qemali's proposal was unanimously accepted and it was decided to sign the declaration of independence of Albania in the name of the constituted Assembly of Vlorë (Albanian: Kuvendi i Vlorës). By the declaration of Albanian independence the Assembly of Vlorë rejected the autonomy granted by the Ottoman Empire to the Albanian vilayet, projected a couple of months earlier.[8] The consensus was for complete independence.[9]

The sitting was then suspended and members of the newly constituted National Assembly went to the house of Ismail Qemali, who raised the flag of Skanderbeg on the balcony of his house, in front of the gathered people.[10]​The session held on December 4, 1912​The second session of the Assembly of Vlorë was held on December 4, 1912. During that session members of the assembly established the Provisional Government of Albania. It was a government that consisted of ten members, led by Ismail Qemali until his resignation on 22 January 1914.[11] The Assembly established the Senate (Albanian: Pleqësi) with an advisory role to the government, consisting of 18 members of the Assembly.[12]

Isa Boletini and his men

When Ismail Qemali came to Albania in third week of November 1912, he discussed the future of the Albanian people with present participants of the congress. Although there was consensus for complete independence, they were also for friendly relation with the Ottoman Empire. Therefore they sent telegrams to the Ottoman Western army, Vardar army and to Ioannina fortress pledging continued support for the war against the Christian states.[12]On November 28, 1912 the congress' first sitting was held in the house of Xhemil bey in Vlorë. Qemali invited Albanians from all four vilayets (Kosovo, Scutari, Monastir and Janina) within projected Albanian Vilayet to attend the congress. At the beginning of the session, Ismail Qemali took the floor and, referring to the threats to the rights Albanians had gained through successful revolts since 1908, proclaimed to the delegates that they should do anything necessary to save Albania.[13]

Present participants of the congress

After Qemali's speech they began by reviewing delegates' credentials. The delegates were as follows:[14]

Missing participants of the congressIsa Boletini and his men from Kosovo Vilayet in the streets of Vlorë after the Independence was already proclaimed.Albanians from several provinces had not yet reached Vlora when it was decided to start the first session of the congress.[15] Ismail Qemali refused to wait for Isa Boletini and other Albanians from Kosovo Vilayet and hastily made the Albanian declaration of independence.[16] The southern elite wanted to prevent Boletini's plans to assert himself as a key political figure and used him to suit their military needs.[17]Since Korça, Shkodra, Përmet, Ohrid and Struga were surrounded by the armies that prevented some Albanians from those provinces to come to Vlorë, another Albanians from those towns were recognised as representatives of those towns. Their names are:[18]

Assembly of Vlore

After the documents were checked, Ismail Qemali again took the floor and held a speech stating that he believes that the only way to prevent division of the territory of Albanian Vilayet between the Balkan allies is to separate it from Ottoman Empire.[19] Qemali's proposal was unanimously accepted and it was decided to constitute the Assembly of Vlorë (Albanian: Kuvendi i Vlorës) and to sign the declaration of independence of Albania. By signing the declaration of Albanian independence the present deputies of the Assembly of Vlorë rejected the autonomy granted by the Ottoman Empire to the Albanian Vilayet, projected a couple of months earlier.[20] The consensus was made for the complete independence.[21]​The sitting was then suspended and members of newly constituted National Assembly went to the house of Ismail Qemali and raised the flag of Skanderbeg on the balcony of his house, in front of the gathered people.[22]

Afterman

The members of the newly constituted National Assembly returned from the balkony of Qemali's house and started the sitting of Assembly. They established the Provisional Government of Albania with Ismail Qemali as President who has the mandate to establish the Cabinet on the session of the Assembly of Vlorë held on December 4, 1912.[23]

Also see

References

Zhelyazkova, Antonina (2000). "Albania and Albanian Identities". International Center for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations. Archived from the original on January 24, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2011. calling together an all-Albanian congress. On 28 November 1912, delegates from all over the country gathered in Vlora

Qemali, Ismail. "Ismail Kemal bey Vlora: Memoirs". Retrieved January 23, 2011. ...On the resumption of the sitting, I was elected President of the Provisional Government, with a mandate to form a Cabinet...

Warrander, Gail; Verena Knaus (November 2007). Kosovo. United States of America: The Globe Pequot Press. p. 12. ISBN1-84162-199-4. At the same time the rebellion sent strong signal to Kosovo neighbors that the Ottoman Empire was weak.

Hall, Richard C. (2002) [2000], The Balkan Wars, 1912-1913: prelude to the First World War, New York: Routledge, p. 54, ISBN0-415-22946-4, retrieved March 11, 2011, The arrival of Serbian army on the Adriatic aroused strong diplomatic opposition from Austria-Hungary and Italy. They perceived the Serbs as a treat to their domination of the Adriatic Sea. In addition they feared that a Serbian Adriatic port could become a Russian base.

Erickson, Edward J. (2003), Defeat in detail: the Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912-1913, Westport: Praeger publishers, p. 197, ISBN0-275-97888-5, retrieved January 23, 2011, ... in the third week of November 1912...led by Ismail Kemali,... Congress at Avalonya to consider the future of the Albanian people...for complete independence...the congress sent telegrams to Western army, Vardar army and to Yanya fortress pledging continued support for the war against the Christian states

Langer, William Leonard; Ploetz, Karl Julius (1940). Encyclopedia of World History. Houghton Mifflin company. ISBN0-395-65237-5. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Proclamation of Albanian independence by an assembly at Valona which rejected the grant of autonomy made by Turkish government